Meet the Team

We are an international team of educators, leaders, learners and innovators, that are united by our commitment to steering education systems towards a more peaceful, equitable and sustainable future for all.

CEO

  • Andrew specialises in the conceptual design and leadership of new and existing schools, leading professional development, and developing global education initiatives, including The Education & Sustainability Leadership Programme, in partnership with Cambridge and Cape Town Universities, and the Education in Conflict & Post-Conflict Contexts (ECPCC), in partnership with United World College, Mostar, where he served on the Governing Board between 2010 and 2016. He is the co-author of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Leadership Pathway and a regular contributor to literature on education and sustainability. He has since worked with schools and government agencies in countries around the world including Albania, Armenia, Israel, Mozambique, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand, The Netherlands and Venezuela.

BOARD CHAIR

  • Richard has thirty years of experience in law, politics and sustainability. Originally a barrister, he is Associate Professor in Public Law at the University of Cape Town (UCT). In the field of sustainability strategy, he is a Fellow of the University of Cambridge’s Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) and has served on leadership faculty for global organisations including the African Development Bank, PWC, Tata and Nedbank. A long-time advisor to Massmart/Walmart, he is a Founding Partner of The Paternoster Group: African Political Insight. A prominent political analyst, and a columnist for the Mail & Guardian newspaper in South Africa, his most recent book, ‘Make or Break: How the next three years will shape South Africa’s next three decades’, was published in 2016.

DIRECTOR, MINDFULNESS & WELLBEING

  • Amy specializes in the design, facilitation and evaluation of educational programs to systematically develop mindful, ethical social and emotion-related skills. She is a recognised world expert in her field and a trainer for educators, parents, and students in pre-K- 12 schools and universities. She is also a published author of an acclaimed book; Choose to Change: A step-by-step teaching guide for fostering emotional intelligence in the classroom. Amy designs and implements comprehensive school and community wide programs to sustainably integrate mindfulness and wellbeing and works with public, independent and charter schools in the US, across the United World College movement and international schools sector.

    Amy has facilitated restorative justice circles and trained adults and students in restorative practices in schools, Universities and communities as a central component of the integration of social and emotional skills. At the heart of what Amy does is an evidence based belief that capacity for mindful practice, which allows us to develop a conscious self-reflective focus on our inner lives, should be a core competency of ethical leadership.

    She holds a PhD in Latin American Studies and a Master’s degree in Public Health from Tulane University, a Master’s degree in Education from the University of New Orleans and a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. John’s College.

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

  • Conor is a multidisciplinary designer with a career spanning London, New York, Berlin and Beirut. His design work can be seen in print communications for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, interactive design in McLaren Automotive’s new Speedtail hypercar, and graphic design on 20 million cans of Canada Dry. Conor holds a BA (Hons) from the Chelsea College of Arts in London and is currently Lead UI Designer at Lotus Cars in Norfolk, UK. For more information, visit www.conorwork.com

STRATEGY & VISION

  • Paul is Director of the Empower Group, and has over 25 years of experience in Global Health and Development. Empower’s key focus areas are: Leadership, Digital Learning, Access to Medicines and Public-Private Partnerships. He has worked in developed and developing countries with health and humanitarian organizations and has advised board members, ministers of health and heads of state on strategy, vision and impact. Besides the shiny boardrooms, he has spent several years on the dusty roads and last-mile clinics of Kabul, Port Moresby, Sokoto and Sana’a. Paul is founder and Director of Empower Group of organizations, the Center for Leadership Development, and Center for Digital Learning. The mission of Empower is to revolutionize the way people learn, work and save lives! Some of the organizations that Prof. Lalvani has supported include: Ministries of Health of more than 30 countries, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, President Kufuor’s Foundation in Ghana, The Global Fund, George Soros’ Open Society Institute, various UN agencies (WHO, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNAIDS), Roll Back Malaria Partnership, The Global Fund, Asia Pacific Leaders’ Malaria Alliance, and others.

FELLOW (CISL)

  • Elspeth worked for Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) from 2008 to 2021 and was responsible for designing and delivering CISL’s education work in South Africa. In addition to customised work with various organisations, she directed the CISL Sustainability Practitioner Programme and the Business and Sustainability Programme in South Africa. She is currently a Head tutor on CISL’s online programme Business and Social Justice. Elspeth’s passion is preparing current and future leaders for a very different future through “curated” learning experiences. She is Chair of the Board of Sustainability Matters an NPO that works to prepare young South Africans for this different future and a member of the Just Share Board a shareholder activist NPO in South Africa. Elspeth’s interest in Sustainability, Wellbeing and Human Development comes from her science background when she studied Zoology, Biochemistry for a BSc at the University of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and a Post Graduate Diploma in Therapeutic Dietetics and much later on in life an MBA from University of Cape Town.

ASSOCIATE EXPERT ADVISOR

  • For the last 12 years, Will has been Sustainability Advisor to PwC UK. In this role, he works with senior staff at Board and Executive team level of global and large national companies, and with governments to help them better understand and identify the strategic risks and opportunities that accompany the rapidly evolving global context. In addition he is: Fellow of the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), Chairman of the Sainsbury’s Foundation Advisory Board, Advisory Board member of SDGLead, Chairman of On Purpose, Member of the Council of Ambassadors of WWF (UK), and Trustee of the UBS Donor Advised Foundation. Earlier in his career he worked for Save the Children Fund and Oxfam in humanitarian relief programmes in East Africa, was Director of the micro-savings and credit organisation Opportunity, and CEO of CARE International UK for 8 years. He also worked for the BBC World Service, and was an Independent Assessor for the public appointments process for the UK Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

  • Rishi is a serial entrepreneur having started and invested in multiple successful ventures throughout the last decade. Rishi grew up in a multilingual background speaking 5 different languages, he is an alumnus of the United World College USA and has since spent time working in consulting and education in countries around the world including the United States, Oman, Thailand, Canada, and Croatia. A Davis Scholar, collegiate swimmer, and Ironman triathlete, his current pursuits involve research in Sustainable Entrepreneurship while being based at the centre of innovation in Boston.

MARKETING CONSULTANT

  • Zana has 12 years experience in the education sector and is currently working as a Content Strategist for a global meetings and events agency based in Chicago. Her multi-cultural upbringing, spanning the UK, Syria, Italy and Egypt, inspired a love for languages and gifted her an ability to communicate effectively with a diverse range of audiences. She is also Digital Lead of Norfolk Schools of Sanctuary, a grass-roots initiative that works with schools to help young children make sense of refugee migration and to promote welcoming communities for those seeking sanctuary. Zana believes that education is the key to positive change and is dedicated to bringing about a better, more tolerant and more sustainable future society.

LEADER, THE NETHERLANDS

  • For Wieneke, her love for nature and sustainability has been the green thread through her life. After her Master studies in Forest and Nature Conservation at Wageningen University, she went on to do the International Teaching Training at Utrecht University. As a geography teacher and IB MYP subject coordinator, she aims to integrate sustainability systematically into education. To this end she is active as a board member for Teachers for Climate and the Dutch Academy for Sustainability Education (NADO). In 2019 she was awarded Sustainable Teacher of the Year for her work inside and outside the classroom. The past school year, she travelled through Europe searching for inspirational examples of education for sustainability. As an IB workshop leader she enjoys supporting teachers in making the IB mission of education for a better world reality. “I believe the IB provides us with the perfect framework to holistically include sustainability intentionally in all aspects of education; the curriculum, our pedagogy and our school environment and culture. Education has a big role to play in addressing the ecological and climate crises our world faces today, it is a journey of making meaning.”

CHANGEMAKER LEADER

  • Javier studied Government and Philosophy at Harvard, management at Stanford, and international relations at Johns Hopkins. He worked as a consultant for McKinsey and BCG, then at marketing, finance and corporate development posts at Apple, and eventually as CEO of two tech startups. He then turned to teaching IB History, Global Politics, and TOK for twenty years, and sponsored his school’s Fridays For Future coalition. He is fluent in Spanish, English, French and Italian, lived in Bolivia, Chile, the USA, Italy, and France, and resides now in Berlin, Germany. He is dedicated to helping young people tackle the monumental challenges posed by the climate crisis and related polycrises. Following Baba Dioum, he affirms “In the end we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught.”

LEADER, MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA

  • Husam is a Palestinian from Jerusalem. His passion for peace and sustainability education in the tumultuous Middle East is derived not just from his experience growing up at a time of conflict, but also his unique international experience. He began his international journey at the United World College of Thailand, where he developed a deep appreciation for cultural diversity and global cooperation. He then pursued a Liberal Arts Bachelor’s degree at Tel Aviv University, combining courses in Middle East Studies, Psychology, and communications. Building on this foundation, he continued his academic journey at the University of Oxford, where he read for a Master’s of Philosophy in International Relations. There, he cultivated his analytical and critical skills and deepened his understanding of inherent global political and economic themes and issues, preparing him to tackle them comprehensively. Husam is committed to creative positive change. He aspires to lead by example a path to a better, more peaceful, and a more sustainable future for the Middle East and beyond.

DIRECTOR, YOUTH PROGRAMMES

  • Alexei is the Heimbecker Inspiration Chair for Experiential Education at Shawnigan Lake School in Canada. He was previously Director of International Learning at Hilton College in South Africa, as well as a Commonwealth Scholar and NRF Doctoral candidate at the University of Oxford, completing a PhD focused on Education for Sustainable Development in various Southern African countries. He is also a programme lead at Sustainability Matters, an NPO operating in South Africa, on their youth and teacher development programmes. He previously worked as the Director of Studies at Peponi School in Kenya and as a consultant on policy contributions for UNESCO, DFID the World Bank, and the British Council in Mexico. Before coming to Oxford, Alexei was a teacher in Cape Town, where he directed the Luleka Exchange Programme – a multi-school partnership that facilitated curriculum exchange and professional development as well as leadership capacity building in South African public schools.

FACULTY

  • Mike is currently Assistant Head of School at Frankfurt International School, where he has been since 2020. Previously he was Head of School at Colegio Maya in Guatemala. He has led workshops and keynoted for teachers and administrators around the world on sustainability, global curriculum K-12, and how service learning should not just be what you do, but who you are as a school. Mike is a proud member of the Common Ground Collaborative advisory council seeking to transform learning in schools globally. As a member of the Compass Education team he is part of a growing community of passionate educators aiming to equip schools as learning communities to educate and act for a sustainable future through systems thinking and practice. He has dedicated much of his time to not only ensuring students are properly prepared for the world’s most pressing issues but that they have the skills and desire to take action. With his Doctorate in Organizational Systems Mike helps to inspire and lead schools through times of change and educational transformation. For more information, please visit www.johnstonmike.com.

FACULTY

  • Shamayim is an international school teacher with experience across four continents. As a “Third Culture Kid” with hitherto itchy feet, her passion for peace and sustainability education in international contexts is derived not just from living and working across the globe, but also from her profound initial experience of international education as a student in Jerusalem in a time of conflict. Shamayim’s undergraduate degree in Archaeology from University College, London, was followed by a Master’s in Comparative and International Education from the University of Oxford, where her educational research focussed on how the International Baccalaureate (IB) and United World College (UWC) movements attempt to create global citizens, looking at experiential learning, service, curriculum and school systems and structures. Shamayim has lived and worked across four continents.

FACULTY

  • John Cannings lives and works in Switzerland and has been heavily involved with experiential education over the last fifteen years co-authoring two books on the IBDP’s CAS programme, involved in curriculum development for CAS and given many workshops and webinars on the topic. Linked with this has been an interest in Service Learning which led him to being a board member of Duke University’s International Committee for Service Learning in Education from 2011-16 and a presenter at conferences hosted by them. In addition to this, he has published a number of articles and blogs on the importance of a truly holistic education, something which he believes should be the holy grail for schools and he has presented this in different schools around the world. Academically, John is a trained Geographer and is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and has been an examiner for IB Diploma Geography for the last twenty years. Sustainability has always been a focal point in Geography syllabi that John has taught. However, he believes that sustainability in schools must mean more than references to it in a syllabus (important though that this), it must be reflected by school decisions and practice and a student's understanding of their own contributions to this.

FACULTY

  • Will, from South Africa, divides his time between Cape Town, Haarlem in the Netherlands, and Northern Portugal, and spends as much of that time as possible with his wife, Emma and their three children.

    Will studied economics and history at the University of Cape Town before completing a degree in International Relations at Cambridge. A conscientious objector, he returned to South Africa to work in the trade union movement, followed by roles in development and later in asset management.

    Will played a key role in establishing South Africa’s first ethical fund in 1993 and went on to create the country’s first shareholder activist fund focused on governance and sustainability in 1999. Since leaving asset management, he has served in governance roles across several social enterprises.

    He has broad experience in sustainability, governance, labour, policy, business, and finance, with a particular focus on Africa and connecting the continent to global systems. Will is passionate about working with young people and is deeply interested in the interconnections that shape the world.

FACULTY

  • Q’s calling as an educator emerged when he was fourteen. He grew up during a time and space where teachers do more than teach; they educate and are community leaders. His mother and maternal grandfather role-modelled that brilliantly.

    As a Pearson College-United World College student, he was introduced to and inspired by the idea that education is “a force to unite nations, people and cultures for peace and sustainable future”. It is the core idea that has informed his educator praxis over the last two decades and a bit. Even when he explores physics or theory of knowledge with his learners, he invites them to explore ideas relevant to peace-building. Currently, he specializes in peace education; focusing on the inner and social dimensions of peace.

LEADER, SusEd METAKAMPUS

  • David has over 30 years experience specialising in experience design. Throughout his career, he has had the privilege of working with global brands such as Adidas, Virgin, Ford, and The All Blacks. Transitioning into the educational sector, David now serves as the Executive Creative Director at Kampus (An architectural practice that specialises in the design of schools) where he applies his expertise to redefine learning environments. By integrating lessons from brand, retail, and experience design, he strives to create enriching experiences for students, educators, and staff. With a deep understanding of the challenges facing the education sector, David endeavours to contribute innovative ideas that meet the evolving needs of academic institutions worldwide. His passion for creating meaningful experiences drives him to continuously learn and adapt, embracing the opportunity to make a positive impact in educational environment design.

FACULTY

  • Martin has over 25 years of experience in Schools and Colleges. His career started as part of the co-founding team of University College Utrecht, the selective residential liberal arts college of Utrecht University. The Netherlands. After that he worked both as an advisor to the University Board as well as a managing director of one of the faculties. In the mid 2000s he co-founded a school for young social entrepreneurs - KaosPilots.NL.

    In the 2010s he turned all this experience into a consulting practice, working as educational innovator with international schools and as interim people director in an international NGO and an online media company. Now most of his focus goes to supporting leadership teams across sectors to build a thriving culture and navigate turbulent times. His energy is spread between Resilient College focused on international schools and colleges and Courageous Space, focused on co-founders and leadership teams.

INFRASTRUCTURE EXPERT

  • Ned has been an ESL and Primary school teacher for over thirteen years, with a previous background in horticulture and landscaping in the UK and New Zealand. He is currently working at United World College Thailand where he leads on Sustainability. His work includes designing and implementing a school carbon audit with the objective of the UWC Thailand community becoming carbon neutral by 2030 (CENDS2030). Ned advises the Student Sustainability Committee and facilitates a number of student-led school wide projects which move the school and community towards a sustainable future. Projects include a mangrove revegetation project that nurtures a nursery on campus; solar power projects; school food waste management and recycling systems; plastic free solutions; and healthy and sustainable food sourcing. He sees Sustainability Education’s programmes as essential, if schools are to develop thinking, mindsets and skills which allows them to model sustainable thinking as well as guiding other communities towards a more sustainable future.

STUDENT AMBASSADOR, USA

  • Ben is a Colorado transplant from Boston, Massachusetts. He keeps his heart in Boston by cheering on his beloved Red Sox and has jumped right into the Colorado outdoor lifestyle of skiing, biking, and playing some pretty serious baseball. Ben goes to a project-based learning school that helps students become human-centred designers and the problem solvers and creative thinkers our times call for. He is the founder and leader of ASAP - the Advisory Sustainability Action Project, a monthly contest among student advisories to increase awareness and action to improve sustainability in our school and communities beyond. The loss of snow in winters that impact Ben’s skiing as well as the health of our forests, and the activism of other youth environmental leaders, has inspired him to be part of the solution.

EDUCATION DESIGN

  • Alex has over 15 years of experience in the education industry. She has enjoyed a diverse career, which includes teaching in the U.K. State System, plus International Schools in Japan and Bahrain. She has worked as a freelance curriculum designer in the US, designing and innovating content for education providers as well as ISTE and NASA. Alex has a keen interest in building a sustainable future, which began early on in her career. She holds an MSc in Sustainable Development and is a LEED Green Associate with the foundation qualification in sustainable building design. Alex passionately believes that an integrated and connected approach to education is essential to developing future generations. Currently, she works at St Christopher’s School, Bahrain, teaching IB Biology, Coordinator for the TOK program, and is a DofE Award Leader. She has initiated a Philosophy for Children program within the school, which is designed to challenge younger student’s viewpoints and to develop tolerance and respect for one other’s perspectives. Each of these educational roles play an essential part in developing thoughtful young people, who can approach challenge and adversity with resilience.

INTERN

  • Obada is a fourth-year Philosophy, Politics, Law, and Economics (PPLE) student at IE University, a leading private institution in Madrid, Spain. His international educational journey has taken him from Syria and Jordan in the Middle East to Thailand in Asia, and across Europe, including Austria, Spain, and Germany. Along the way, Obada became proficient in English, Spanish, along with his native Arabic, with intermediate proficiency in German. As a Syrian refugee who experienced the conflict first hand, Obada is dedicated to creating a just, prosperous, and sustainable future. He has taken on leadership roles in charitable projects at institutions like the United World College Thailand, St. Gilgen International School in Austria, and IE University in Spain. These initiatives focused on aiding refugees and organizing fundraising events. Currently, Obada is on an international exchange program in Hamburg, Germany, specializing in Law. His diverse academic journey and commitment to compassionate giving reflect his dedication to social justice and global cooperation.

INTERN

  • Guosheng is a university student in the program between Sciences Po Paris in France where he currently studies law and government and Columbia University in the United States. Prior to that, he attended United World College Thailand between 2017-2019 after schooling in China and Canada. He has worked in various programs in the field of education, including designing the short course “PEACE x PEACE” at UWC Thailand and working as a facilitator in UWC Lebanon’s inaugural summer program “Connecting with the Mediterranean”. His global educational experience and interest in policymaking and sociology not only help him identifying unique features of education systems and problems each faces, but also drive him to explore sustainable development that our society urgently needs. Currently, he is exploring the possibility of technology in tackling the problem of inequality of educational resources, with a special focus in rural China.

INTERN

  • Tala is currently pursuing a degree in Law at Ono Academic College and Music at the Magnificat Institute in Jerusalem. Prior to that she attend the Eastern Mediterranean International School(EMIS) where she received her International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. Tala has actively taken part in various peace, conflict resolutions and sustainability programs that helped develop her character. That includes attending the Youth Summit for Peace hosted by the Hebrew University, Chairing the Human Rights Committee at the WBAIS Model United Nation conference of 2016, and earning the sustainability project award during her time at EMIS. Derived from her childhood passion of life under water and the responsibility to protect that world, Tala aspires to lead by example a sustainable way of living by means of setting an example to present and future generations.

INTERN

  • Theo is from Myanmar. He has just completed the International Baccalaureate Diploma programme at the Eastern Mediterranean International School (EMIS) near Tel Aviv. Theo's upbringing in Myanmar as a Buddhist monk from the age of five inspired him to offer meditation to his schoolmates. He initiated the Meditation for the CEOs (MCEO) project, aiming to collaborate with forward-thinking organizations and industry leaders. Together, they aim to bring a paradigm shift in the corporate world by prioritizing employers/employees well-being and productivity through comprehensive meditation courses. Theo is aspirational and is deeply interested in raising global awareness around sustainability and peace education. He was a delegate at SusEd’s Education & Sustainability Leadership Summit at the Jerusalem American School in 2021, an active participant in YOCOPAS (Youth Organized Collaboration of Peace and Sustainability) at EMIS, has engaged in Peace Simulations and contributed to initiatives including Kids Rights and UNSDG Actions, whilst advocating for the UNSDG and urgent humanitarian issues in Myanmar. Additionally, he represented the Myanmar youth delegation at UNLDC5 in Doha, Qatar in 2023.

INTERN

  • Originally from Washington D.C., Henry is a long way from home in his current post; teaching English in a primary school in Zambia’s Western Province. Currently serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer (and one of the first six Peace Corps Volunteers to ever serve in Western Province), he works toward advancing the goals of grassroots development and economic empowerment in his community of Yuka, situated in Western Province’s Kalabo District. A threetime AmeriCorps alum, a political science and philosophy double major from Boston College, and an honorary Blue at the University of Oxford from his one year study at Mansfield College, Henry is thrilled to be on the African continent for this next chapter of his life. With the help of his Zambian host family, Henry is working toward building a better, more sustainable, and more just future in Yuka and beyond.

INTERN

  • Jasmine is in her penultimate year studying International Relations at Edinburgh University. Her interest in education and sustainability was sparked when she researched how teaching and learning could empower everyone at the university to take climate action for a think tank project. Having explored how outdoor learning and ‘environmentalising’ the curriculum can challenge students to think critically about the root causes of climate change, Jasmine believes that transforming education is key to solving the climate crisis. As a member of the Student Engagement Strategy Group for the Curriculum Transformation Project at Edinburgh, Jasmine ensured students were at the heart of decision-making regarding changes to the curriculum and is dedicated to involving students in curriculum design. She went on to join the U-Belong Student Research Team, shaping research about loneliness and belonging among students. She remains passionate about discovering innovative ways to promote wellbeing that cultivate kinder relationships towards nature, ourselves and each other.